Thursday 13th September 2012, 13:15

Polish star Jaroslaw Hampel admits he was short of race sharpness as he made his SGP return in Malilla on Saturday.

The world No.3 hadn’t raced in the World Championship for three months prior to the Scandinavian SGP. This was after he suffered a broken ankle in heat one of the FIM Dansk Metal Danish Grand Prix in Copenhagen on June 9.

Hampel conceded a few promising positions on his way to six points, which were not enough to earn him a semi-final berth.

But he knows he needs to time get back to the level which carried him to second in the World Championship in 2010 and third last year.

He said: “It wasn’t too bad actually. It’s really difficult when you start in the Grand Prix after three months out. Everyone is racing very well. I tried to feel the same as I did before in the first few races, but didn’t feel I raced as well.

“I needed to make decisions very quickly and I didn’t do that, especially from the beginning.

“I made a few mistakes and I need to race a little bit more. I need that make sure I’m quicker with my decisions on the track.

“I’ve got a few meetings left and the next round is on September 22, so it should be better if I can race a little bit more before then.”

Hampel knows he is under no pressure as his absence has left him out of the World Championship race and all but out of the running for the top-eight automatic qualification places.

But he remains determined to end a difficult year on a high. He said: “When I go on the track, I try to do the best job and win every single race. Nothing changes.”

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